Sydney set for a record summer

Sydney is on track for its hottest summer, a record that has stood since before federation.

If Sydneysiders are subjected to one more day above 35C, the ninth this summer, it will equal the record set in 1896. The city has set a new record for hot nights this summer.

Sydney was forecast to reach 38C yesterday, while the city’s west was expected to hit 40C.

“We’ll most likely be standing at eight days [above 35C] by the end of today with a fair bit of the summer to go to try and at least equal that long-standing record,” Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Rob Taggart told AAP.

Meanwhile, heatwave conditions across New South Wales have been stirring some scary creatures — with an increase in funnel-web spider activity that has led to two people being bitten by the spiders in recent weeks.

The Australian Reptile Park said the recent humid conditions have encouraged the spiders to be active.

But while conditions may be perfect for the highly venomous creepycrawly, authorities say supplies of life-saving funnel-web antivenene are in danger of running low.

Captive spiders are milked of their venom as part of the antivenene manufacturing process at the Central Coast’s Australian Reptile Park, which is the only wildlife sanctuary that milks the spiders in the nation.

But keepers say not enough spiders are being handed in by the public, meaning stocks are low.

Members of the public are being urged to help save lives by facing their fears and following instructions on the park’s website to safely capture the spiders.

Funnel-web spiders are known for their highly-toxic and fast-acting venom but no deaths have been recorded since the antivenene program was introduced more than 35 years ago.